Community Schools Partnership Outreach

To Whom It May Concern:

My purpose today is to build consensus in support of the Community Schools Initiative in Boone County as we continue to establish Muriel Williams Battle High School as our “pilot” school for the community.

A community school model is a collaborative coalition of community partners working together to provide an integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement. The model is much more than a place for students to simply learn academic skills, it is a true example of what community partnership looks like when combined to meet the needs of the whole child.

A community school encourages all members to improve their situation and achieve their goals by building relationships that help turn goals into reality. Partners work together to facilitate this process by providing access to enrichment, services, and engagement that lead to action plans with measurable outcomes.

Community school partners select, and sponsor activities developed via an iterative process involving all members. Through a collective vision, conditions for acquiring and achieving specific learning outcomes are generated and fulfilled. All aspects of the experience are designed and improved via user-based input and feedback. This allows the model to adapt with the needs of community members and partners. When resources are combined with research-based processes, the needs of the whole child can be truly met.

Many of the services provided via the community school model are already provided across Columbia Public Schools. However, the model has never been fully implemented in a pilot school. Muriel Williams Battle High school is an ideal community for the model. Many of the community connections required to facilitate transition are already in place. With the addition of access to health and social services, as well as financial and employment counseling, positive outcomes related to wellness, socioeconomic status, and employability can be achieved.

Please consider joining us as we work together to ensure our schools are teaching the whole child. Let’s combine our resources and create a hub in our community where children, youth and their families have access to an array of supports and services that benefit everyone. Together we can engage with families while creating a safe, supportive, and stable environment that allows our community to thrive.

Please scan the QR code below for more information, or to join us as a community school partner.

Sincerely,

Matt Leuchtmann

(573) 214-3300

MLeuchtmann@cpsk12.org